Golf club and connection therefor

ABSTRACT

A golf putter is provided. The golf putter includes a head having a cavity. An insert member is supported within the cavity by Neoprene resilient O-rings and a shaft or hosel member is connected to the insert. Because the insert member is insulated from the head by the resilient O-rings, less impact energy is dissipated within the head. The insert member is arranged to be at the sweet spot of the head.

This invention relates to a golf club. More particularly the inventionis concerned with the provision of a novel connection between the headof a golf club and the shaft. In prior art golf clubs as shown in FIG. 1a golf club 1 comprises a head 2 connected to a shaft 3. The head 2 hasa striking face 4 with a so called sweet-spot 5 which is usuallyarranged to occur at the geometrical centre of area of the striking face4 as indicated by the crossed lines. Ideally impact with a golf ball issought to take place at the sweet-spot 5. A problem with this prior artarrangement is that the shaft 3 is displaced somewhat from the impactarea and is fixed directly to the head 2. As a consequence of this someof the energy of impact is dissipated within the head thus lessening theamount of impact energy which can be transmitted up the shaft to theplayer's hands so that in one sense the amount of energy available todefine “feel” is reduced.

According to the present invention there is provided a golf club havinga head including a striking face with a sweet-spot, the head comprisingan outer shell member defining a cavity, an insert located within thecavity spaced from the outer shell member and a shaft connection fixedto the insert through the outer shell.

The present invention will now be described by way of example only andwith reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a prior art golf club and connection.

FIG. 2 is a part sectional elevation of a golf putter in accordance withthe present invention.

FIG. 3 is a part elevational view looking on arrow “A” of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an insert used in the practice of theinvention.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a putter head and shaft connection inaccordance with the present invention.

In FIG. 2 there is shown a golf putter 10 in accordance with the presentinvention. Golf putter 10 comprises a generally T-shaped head 11connected to a shaft 12 by means of a hosel member 13. Head 11 includesa striking face 30 as well as non-striking faces or non-strikingsurfaces which are not intended to contact a ball during normal use.Hosel member 13 may be hollow. A shaft connection may comprise the hoselmember 13 or the hosel member 13 may be dispensed with and the shaftconnection may comprise a shaft 14 connected directly to the head 11.The head 11 comprises an outer shell member 15 which defines a cavity 16in head 11 having an opening in the striking face 30, an inner sidewalland an end wall. Insert member 17 is generally cylindrical and includesa first end having a first end edge, a second end having a second endedge, and a sidewall extending between the end edges is made of bronzematerial and defines a rear cavity 18. The bronze material is selectedto be a soft ductile material to facilitate the transmission of shock. Asweet spot 19 of the head 11 is arranged to be at the center of thecircular face area of insert 17 as indicated by the crossed lines asbest seen in FIG. 4. An aperture 20 is formed in insert 17 by drillingand reaming to receive and ensure a proper fit with either hosel 13 orshaft 14. As seen in FIG. 2 hosel member 13 stops short of the end ofthe aperture 20 so that it does not contact outer shell member 15. It isbelieved this arrangement enhances the transmission of impact energy tothe putter shaft as feel. Cavity 18 in combination with the remainingpart of cavity 16 defines a void 21 in head 11. Void 21 is believed toincrease the resonance factor of head 11. Insert 17 is supported andfixed within cavity 16 by means of Neoprene resilient O-rings 22, 23fitted to semi-circular grooves 24, 25 formed around the circularperiphery of insert 17. A small clearance exists between insert 17 and ashoulder 26 formed within outer shell member 15. Also as best seen inFIG. 2 the O-rings 22,.23 space the insert 17 from outer shell member 15so that a small clearance 31 is formed which in a sense insulates insert17 from outer shell member 15. Stabilizing or inertia weights 27 are letinto the sides 28 of the head 11 to minimize the effect of off-centrehits. A slot 29, see FIG. 5, assists in aiming the striking faced 30 ofthe putter head 11. Outer shell member 15 and hosel member 13 are madeof aircraft quality high strength aluminum and when shaft 12, 14comprises a substantially large diameter shaft the shaft will be made ofcarbon fibre material. In addition to resiliently fixing insert 17within cavity 16 the O-rings act as seals to prevent dirt and moisturefrom entering void 21 through clearance 31. Shaft 14 or hosel member 13enters the aperture 20 in insert 17 through a hole 29 drilled in outershell member 15. As can be appreciated from FIG. 3 because insert 17 isinsulated from a outer shell member 15 by the resilient O-rings anyimpact on insert 17 is transferred more or less directly to shaft 14 orhosel 13 with less impact energy being dissipated within head 11.Consequently a golf club, for example a putter as shown in FIG. 2 mayhave an increased “feel factor” due to the increased energy beingtransmitted up the shaft 12, 14. It has been found in practice that thevoid 21 also enhances the feel factor. The present invention may be usedwith so called standard shafts. However, the invention can be mostadvantageously used in a putter with a substantially large diameter(between 25 and 45 mm), thin walled, parallel shaft to enhance the “feelfactor”. The present invention may be used in golf clubs other thanputters but in that case due care must be taken with the design becauseof the higher forces that may be involved.

What is claimed is:
 1. A golf club having a head including a strikingface with a sweet spot for impacting a golf ball, the head comprising anouter shell member defining a cavity, an inner insert member definingsaid sweet spot located within the cavity spaced from the outer shellmember by a clearance space by a resilient spacer, said insert memberbeing resiliently supported and fixed within the cavity by saidresilient spacer, and a shaft fixed to the insert through the outershell member.
 2. A golf club according to claim 1 wherein the resilientspacer comprises at least one resilient O-ring.
 3. A golf club accordingto claim 1 wherein the shaft is fixed to the insert by a hosel member.4. A golf club according to claim 3 wherein the hosel member fits withinan aperture formed in the insert and stops short of the end of theaperture so that it does not contact the outer shell member.
 5. A golfclub according to claim 3 wherein the hosel member is hollow.
 6. A golfclub according to claim 3 wherein the shaft is fitted to the hosel.
 7. Agolf club according to claim 6 wherein the shaft is hollow and has anouter diameter of from about 25 mm to about 45 mm.
 8. A golf clubaccording to claim 2 wherein the O-rings seal the insert within thecavity of the outer shell member.
 9. A golf club according to claim 1,said golf club is a putter.
 10. A golf club according to claim 1 orclaim 3 wherein the outer shell member and the hosel are made ofaluminum.
 11. A golf club according to claim 1 wherein the insert ismade of a soft ductile bronze material.
 12. A golf club according toclaim 2 wherein the resilient O-rings comprise the material Neoprene.13. A golf club according to claim 2, wherein the insert is cylindrical.14. A golf club according to claim 13, wherein the insert has a grooveand the at least one O-ring is at least partially disposed inside thegroove.
 15. A golf club according to claim 3, wherein the hosel andouter shell member are made of aluminum and the insert is made ofbronze.
 16. A golf club according to claim 1, wherein inertia weightsare disposed on first and second sides of said head.
 17. A golf clubhaving a head including a striking face with a sweet spot, the headcomprising an outer shell member defining a cavity, an inner insertmember defining said sweet spot located within the cavity spaced fromthe outer shell member by a clearance space by a resilient spacer, and ashaft fixed to the insert through the outer shell member, wherein theinsert includes a blind rear cavity.
 18. A golf club having a headincluding a striking face with a sweet spot, the head comprising anouter shell member defining a cavity, an inner insert member locatedwithin the cavity spaced from the outer shell member by a resilientspacer, and a shaft fixed to the insert through the outer shell member,wherein the cavity in the rear of the insert and part of the cavity inthe outer shell member form a void in the head.
 19. A golf clubcomprising: a head having at least one non-striking surface and astriking face having a blind bore; an insert having a wall with anopening and an end face, said insert being mounted in said blind boresuch that said end face is flush with said striking face; a firstopening in said at least one non-striking surface intersecting saidblind bore; and a shaft extending through said first opening into saidsecond opening.
 20. The golf club of claim 19 including at least onespacer between said insert and said blind bore.
 21. The golf club ofclaim 20 wherein said at least one spacer is resilient.
 22. The golfclub of claim 21 wherein said at least one spacer comprises at least oneO-ring.
 23. The golf club of claim 19 wherein said blind bore has an endwall and a depth and said insert has a length less than said depth,whereby a void is formed between said insert and said end wall when saidend face is flush with said striking face.
 24. The golf club of claim 19wherein said golf club includes a sweet spot located on said end face ofsaid insert.
 25. A golf club comprising: a head having at least onenon-striking surface and a striking face having a blind bore; an inserthaving a wall with an insert opening and an end face, said insert beingmounted in said blind bore such that said end face is substantiallyflush with said striking face; a first opening in said at least onenon-striking surface intersecting said blind bore; and a shaft extendingthrough said first opening into said insert opening; wherein said blindbore has an end wall and a depth and said insert has a length less thansaid depth, whereby a void is formed between said insert and said endwall when said end face is flush with said striking face, said insertincluding a cavity communicating with said void.
 26. A golf clubcomprising a head including a striking face and at least onenon-sticking surface, an opening in said striking face including anopening sidewall, and an insert having a first end having an end edge, asecond end having an end edge and a sidewall mounted in said openingsuch that said insert first end edge is spaced apart from said openingsidewall, and a shaft connected to said insert and extending through anopening in said at least one non-striking surface.
 27. The golf club ofclaim 26 wherein said insert first end is flush with said stickingsurface.
 28. The golf club of claim 27 wherein said insert second endedge is spaced apart from said opening sidewall.
 29. The golf club ofclaim 26 wherein said head includes at least one O-ring between saidinsert sidewall and said opening sidewall.
 30. The golf club of claim 28wherein said at least one O-ring is resilient.